(SALIDA, Colo.) — The Salida Police Department reported that a man was arrested after a couple woke to find the man in their home, rummaging through their belongings, and staring at the woman as she slept.
According to police, in the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 3, officers were dispatched to a home in the City of Salida on reports that an unknown man had trespassed. The couple, who lived in the home with their infant child, reported that they had been sleeping and were woken up by the man, who appeared to be rummaging through their belongings. The woman reported that as she was waking up, she saw the stranger watching her.
The man who lived in the home confronted the stranger in the living room and got into a fight with him. The homeowner eventually forced the stranger out the front door, according to police.
The victims reported that the stranger had been shirtless as he was thrown out of the home, and that once he was thrown out, he got into a vehicle and drove off. The woman then called 911 to report the incident.
The couple reported that after the suspect left, they found that some of their belongings were missing. They described the suspect and his vehicle to the officers, who searched the area but were unable to locate either the suspect or his vehicle.
While detectives were investigating leads over the next several days, they received a tip about the possible location of the suspect and his vehicle, according to Salida Police, and were able to track him down.
The suspect, later identified as 55-year-old Juan Rodriquez-Velazquez from Salida, gave a statement to police, allegedly admitting to being the home invader, saying that he had seen the woman days before the incident and was attracted to her. According to police, Rodriquez-Velazquez told detectives that he had followed the woman home, so he knew where she lived days before he broke in.
According to police, Rodriquez-Velazquez stated that he broke into the home because he wanted to have sex with the woman, but he had been unaware that a man also lived there.
Salida Police reported that the couple identified Rodriquez-Velazquez as the man who had broken into their home, as well as identifying his vehicle. On Friday, Aug. 8, around 9 p.m., police obtained a search warrant for Rodriquez-Velazquez’s home and an arrest warrant for him. He was arrested and taken to the Chaffee County Detention Center and charged with Second-Degree Burglary and Stalking, and has a $25,000 bond.
“The arrest was made possible, in part, due to the hard work of the officers and detectives with the Salida Police Department, as well as the courage of the victims, who were willing to cooperate and work with the police through a very frightening situation,” said Salida Police Chief Russell Johnson. “We are confident this arrest will make a difference in keeping our community safe.”
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